Is current harmful when it doesn't flow out of you?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the safety of electric current in specific scenarios, particularly when one is insulated and not grounded, such as in a vacuum. Participants explore whether current is harmful only when it can flow out of the body, and the implications of charge buildup in electrical components, including potential damage to sensitive devices like computer RAM.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that damage to the body occurs only when current flows through it due to a potential difference, suggesting that being insulated in a vacuum may provide safety from high voltage.
  • Others argue that electrical components can build up charge without immediate damage, but a sudden discharge can cause harm, especially if the current is high and flows quickly.
  • A participant questions whether electrical components can be damaged without a direct conducting path to the ground, suggesting that capacitive connections might still allow for discharge.
  • There is a discussion about birds sitting on high-voltage power lines, with some suggesting that they remain unharmed because they reach the same voltage as the line, while others question the mechanics of charge exchange and potential shock.
  • Some participants express uncertainty about the nature of current and its effects, particularly regarding induced currents and their potential to cause harm.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether current is harmful when it does not flow out of the body. Multiple competing views remain regarding the conditions under which damage occurs to both living organisms and electrical components.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the complexity of electrical interactions, including the roles of potential difference, charge buildup, and discharge mechanisms. Assumptions about insulation and grounding are not fully resolved, and the implications of capacitive effects are noted but not conclusively addressed.

  • #31
For the initial approach, that formula is correct, but I don't see where your GJ value comes from - the current won't flow for milliseconds.
 
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  • #32
mfb said:
For the initial approach, that formula is correct, but I don't see where your GJ value comes from - the current won't flow for milliseconds.

Yeah I don't really know how long the current flows for so I just plugged in a few small numbers. Do you know approximately how long that current flows usually?

Nvm I figured out how to work out the time.
 
Last edited:
  • #33
mfb said:
For the initial approach, that formula is correct, but I don't see where your GJ value comes from - the current won't flow for milliseconds.

If I am not grounded (eg stand on a plastic stool) and touch a Van de Graaff generator, is it reasonable to model myself in this case as a capacitor? (using equations like I=(V/R)exp(-t/CR))

If I touch the Van de Graaf generator with a metal rod (still standing on the plastic stool), can I still model myself as a capacitor by simply taking the new resistance as my own resistance+the metal rod's resistance?

Thanks.
 
  • #34
That should give a good approximation. But don't test it in practice...
 

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